pje $mitj)firli> Mcralit.
price one dollar per tear. "TRUE TO OURSELVES, OUR COUNTRY AND OUR GOD." sikoli copies five own.
VOL. 25. SMITHFIELD. N. C.. FRIDAY. APRIL 18. I90(>. XO. 6.
TERROR IN NAPLES.
Vesuvius, More Active, is
Threatening Great City.
Strong Earthquake Shocks Shatter
Windows and Crack Walls In
Naples?Work of Succor De
layed by Red Hot Stones
Falling on Railway,
Naples, April 8th.?The erup
tion of Mount Vesuvius, which [
yesterday reached a magnitude
placing it among the historic
displays of Vesuviau fury, in
creased in violence to-day, and
this evening threatened to be
come even more terrible. The
earth for miles around quaked
repeatedly.
Incessant rumblings, groaa
ings, and thunderings accom
pany the repeated explosions at
the crater, whence there is an im
mense discharge of lava, cinders,
and hot rocks. Ashes are falling
over a large part of Southern
Italy, even to the east coast.
These and the dense smoke this
evening blotted out all sight of
the mountain, the island of Cap
ri, and the town of Sorrento from
V anlpa
During the day many areas
around the mountain were in
darkness. The towns and vil
lages have been generally aban
doned, hence the extent of the
damage is not fully known.
The panic has spread to Naples.
Two strong earthquake shocks,
which shattered windows and
cracked the walls of buildings,
were experienced to-day. The
entire population rushed to the
streets in terror, many persons
crying, "The Madonna has for
saken us; the end of the world
has come."
No trace remains of Hoscotre
case, a commune on the south
ern declivity of the mountain,
where up to forty-eight hours
ago ten thousand persons lived;
and Torre Annunziata, on the
shores of the Gulf of Naples, one
mile to the southward, is almost
surrounded by the invading lava
and has been evacuated by its
thirty thousand inhabitants.
The people were brought to
Naples by trains, streetcars, mili
tary carts, and steamships.
Similar means of transportation
are being employed to bring
away the people from Torre del
Greco. The police and carbineers
are guarding the abandoned
houses, and several members of
the government, also, are there.
A telegram received from the
mayor of San Sebastiano, a vil
lage near the observatory, on
the northwest declivity of Vesu
vius, says the lava is approach
ing rapidly, and that the people
are terror-stricken. They have
been for nights without sleep, he
says, are destitute, and beg that
assistance be given them.
The work ol succor is damper-1
ed owing to delays to the rail
way service, which is interrupted i
by red-hot stones, thrown to a j
height of 3,000 feet, falling on J
the tracks.
MAGNIFICENT IN ITS Fl'HY.
London, April 3.?The ac-1
counts of Sunday's eruption of
Mount Vesuvius which have
reached here are detached and in- j
expert. It is declared that the
evacuation of the towns and
villages in a wide area around
the volcano before the advauc-j
ing lava and torrents of hot
ashes and sand has left nobody j
to observe the progress of the
catastrophe, even if such obser
vation were possible. A cor
respondent, who went to the
Iloscotrecase and Torre Annun
ziata districts Saturday says
"Along the road I met hun
dreds of families in flight, carry
ing their few miserable posses-'
sions. The spectacle of collapsed [
car^s and fainting women was
frequent. From a point on the
mountain between the two towns
I watched four rivers of molten
fire, one of which, 200 feet wide
and over forty feet deep, was
moving slowly and majestically
onward, devouring vineyards
and olive groves. I witnessed the
destruction of a farm house,
which was enveloped on three
sides by lava.
SUMMIT WREATHED IN FLAMES.
"Immediately overhead the
great crater was belching incan
descent rocks and scoriae for an
incredible distance. The whole
summit was wreathed with flames
and a perpetual roar was heard.
Ever and anon the cone of the
volcano was encircled with vivid
electric phenomena, amid which
a downpour of liquid fire on all
sides of the crater was revealed
in magnificent awfuluess.
"In the evening there was a
frightful shock of earthquake,
which was repeated at 2 o'clock
Sunday morning. Simultane
ously the lava streams redoubled
their onrush and men, women,
and children fled precipitately
toward the sea. The lava had
invaded the road behind them."
Another correspondent de
scribes a visit made to Hoscotre
case Saturday, saying:
"As nothing could be seen from
Naples, owing to the dense, black
pall of sand, half of Naples hur
ried to the threatened town by
railway, electric tramway, motor
car, and country cart. It was
difficult enough to obtain a ticket
and infinitely more difficult to
obtain a seat in the trains, al
though the service has been
trebled. As far as the pictur
esque town of Portici, the count ry
lay desolate under a shroud of
sand. Not a blossom could be
i 1 _'lL 1 J A
seen on me wimereu trees, not a
scrap of fodder on the ground
for the cattle. Along the rail
way the people of the towns
through which it passes, stood
watching in mournful surprise
the procession of crowded trains."
FIFTY THOUSAND HOMELESS
Naples, April 11 ?The loss of
property by the volcanic out
break is estimated at $20,000,
000 and it is announced that
50,000 persons have been ren
dered homeless.
So widespread is the catas
trophe that it is estimated that
it will require an organized body
of 100,000 men and the expendi
ture of many millions of dollars
to raze houses made unsafe for
habitation by the accumulation
of ashes and cinders on the roofs,
erect temporary huts or refugee
for the thousands who have been
obliged to flee from their homes,
clear the roofs of buildings that
may yet be saved, and extricate
from the ruins of fallen struc
tures and bury the dead.
The distress among the tens
of thousands of fugitives is ap
palling. The government has
forwarded supplies of food and
money, several of the Italian
cities have done the same and
private citizeus are contributing
money for the assistance of the
suffering people, but more help
is needed.
Father of Forty-Three Children.
In conversation this week with
uncle (Jallier King, a well known
colored man who lives a few miles
down the river, he informed us
that he was about 74 years old,
had been married three times
and was the father of forty-three
children. There was born unto
bim by his first wife 10, by his
second 11, by his third, who is
still living, 22. His baby is four
years old. He was not exactly
certain as to the number of grand
children. The old man has been
a pretty hard working man all
of his life, and gets about now at
a lively gait.?Franklin Times.
The Death of Little Dollle.
Thursday evening, April the
fifth, the angel of death visited
the home of Mr. 1). B. Denning
and took their precious littlegirl.
She was two years and five
months old. No special name
had ever been given her except a
pet name?as she was called
"Dollie."
On the first morning of April ?
she was stricken with a brain
trouble which proved to be a fa
tal disease. All was done for her
relief that lay in the power of a
good physician and fond and
patient parents to do. But alas!
Ten minutes past eight o'clock
her little body found relief and
her soul fled to a peaceful shore.
Axon.
WRECK NEAR RIVER.
Sixteen Freight Cars thrown
From Track Tuesday.
ii
While hounding Curve on High Em
bankment Serious Wreck Oc
curs?Accident Caused
by Broken Rail.
Tuesday morning about six
o'clock a North bound freight
composed of about forty loaded
box cars dashed around the!
curve near the river bridge at!
the speed of probably fifty miles !
per hour and was derailed and j
wrecked within one hundred
yards of the bridge and upon the I
highest point of the embank
ment. Thirceeu box cars, all
loaded with cabbage, were de
molished, while several other
cars were partially derailed and
remained on the track, crossing
the river with some of the wheels
dragging upon the cross ties. No
one was injured.
Traffic was delayed about eight i
; hours, the first traiD passing
about two o'clock Tuesday after-j
' noon. The wreck train and force;
has been at work at the spot \
since but it will be some time be
fore the last of the wreck is clear
ed away.
This accident occurred within
one half mile of the serious wreck
of a few days ago, in which fif
i teen cars were demolished. The
above wrecks have entailed a
great money loss upon the rail
road and it seems providential
in each instance that lives were
not lost.
The cause of the wreck is due
to rotten ties and a broken rail.
This rail has been broken for
five or six weeks, and it was;
spiked upon ties that were so rot
ten that one could kick the spikes
loose with the foot. It would;
seem that the tracks placed upon \
embankments sixteen or twenty j
feet high and upon a decided j
curve besides, would have been
given more than ordinary atten-:
tion by the section force of the
companv, but it seems to have;
been signally neglected. We are
told by reputable people that [
thev have passed this spot in the |
East six weeks and had seen this
roken rail. We are informed,
but we cannot vouch for it, that
the section master had been told
that this very rail would cause a I
wreck.
For many years, the Atlantic
Coast Line system seemed to be |
exempt from serious wrecks. It
enjoyed the reputation of being
the safest road in the South, but
in the last several months, it has
suffered many accidents, and the
condition of the road bed is now
such that it renders it very dan
gerous, indeed, to travel over it
Within the past Lw days, be
sides the two wrecks in our vi
eiuitv, there have been bad ac ?:
dents at Hope Mills, Benson,
Rock.v Mount, and Florence.
We are informed that the sec
tion force here has numbered uol
more than two or three handt
for some time past and thn day
this wreck occurred, the sectioi;
master did not have a single
laborer. It had been simply im
possible for the section to bt
worked as it should. It seems
that the trouble is due to the
fact that the railroad is not pay
ing competitive wages to the
laborers and pay off only once a
month. The saw mills and othei
public work have attracted the
labor elsewhere.
On IValcetleld Circuit
We are requested to anuounce
that there will be a special meet
iag for Wakefield circuit at
Rogers X Uoadson the tilth Sun
day in April. Fob Hruton, l)r,
Swindell and Prof. Wolfe havt
been invited to deliver addresses
Everybody is invited to attend
with a well-filled basket. Meet
ing begins at 10 A. M. Rev. F,
F. Eure is pastor in charge.
Thomas-Johnson.
A beautiful home marriage wan
solemnized W ednesday morning
at nine o'clock, at the home of
Mr. YV. It. Johnson, about four
miles from town, when his beau
tiful daughter. Miss Minnie, was
married to Mr' J. 1*. Thomas, of
Iteaufort, N. C. The ceremony
was impressively performed by
Rev. J. YV. Suttle, of the Itaptist
Church.
The bridal party entered the
parlor to the strains of Mendel
sshon rendered by Miss Mattie
Hudson, of Hmitbfield. First
came the two little flower girls,
Bettie YY'atson and Margaret
Muns, bearing shower boquets
of white lilacs; then came the
groom with his best man, Mr
Ylurey Thomas, of Raleigh, his
brother. They were followed by
the bride aud her sister, Miss
Lucy Johnson, who was maid of
honor. The bride was beautiful
ly attired in white China silk and
carried white carnations Dur
ing the ceremony Miss Hudson
played softly Meditation.
The marriage was witnessed by
quite a number of relatives and
friends. Immediately after the
marriage the bridal party left
for Selma to meet the eleveD
o'clock train for Beaufort, N. C.
The groom is a popular and
promising young man of Beau
fort, where the happy couple
will make ther future home. The
bride is a beautiful and accom
plished young lady. The popu
larity of the bride and groom
was attested by the number of
beautiful presents received. X.
Entertainment at Four Oaks.
YY'e are requited to announce
that the Bright Jewels will give
an entertainment at Four Oaks
Method Ft ihurch next Monday
nurht. The public is cordially
imited to attend. Admission 20
end 10 cents.
MR. POU INTERVIEWED
?
On Railroad Rate Bill and
i Rural Free Delivery.
Our Congressman Thinks Congress
Will PassSome Kind of Hate Bill
I
?Anxious That no Route
be Discontinued In
His District.
'
Congressman Edwd. \V. I'ou j
' arrived from Washington Sun
day night to spend a few days
with his family, returning to
Washington Wednesday after
' noon. .When asked by the
Editor of Thk Herald, whether
' or not, in his opinion, the Rail
road Rate Rill would ever become
' a law, he said:
"I do not doubt that some
' sort of railroad rate bill will be
i passed; President Roosevelt has
j forced the measure upon the
representatives of his party in
Congress and they are afraid to
adjourn and go before the peo
pie* without passing some bill
which they will claim carries out
the recommendation of the
President. The President is hav
! ing a hard time in his efforts to
bring his own party in line of
support for the pending bill.
Rut for the fact that the Speaker 1
1 rules the House of Represents
tives, the Hepburn Bill, I firmly I
believe, would have encountered
serious opposition in thatbody."
What sort of a bill do you
think will pass, we asked the
Congressman? i
'1 will say this," he replied, '
| 'M am perfectly certain that the
Hepburn Bill will never become a
law in the shape it left the House.
Even in that shape it is worth
little or nothing to the small 1
shippers, still it is an improve
ment upon existing legislation. 1
As 1 said, the Senate will pass
some sort of a bill; after that 1
body has doue its work, I pre- j
diet that the average shipper
will never realize that the law
has been changed, or that Con
gress has legislated with respect 1
to railroad rates at all Under
the rules of the Senate, no bill 1
can be passed as long as a single 1
Senator stands up in his place (
and speaks against it. In other '
words, the Senate never votes on 1
a measure unless practically by
unanimous consent,.
'1 may be mistaken, but 1 '
think the Republican party has '
been too friendly with corporate 1
interests for its represenatives in 1
Congress to allow a bill to pass '
which will be very objectionable
to the interests which have put 1
up the funds to help carry their '
election." 1
Should the Hepburn bill be. '
come a law it would ijo (Joubt ,
help our people to some extent |
i we said, but our people are more I
interested in Rural Free Delivery '
agitation. What about the
rumor i hat some of the routes |
uow iu (operation might be dis- |
continued, we asked. 1
"1 hardly think the I'ost Office 1
Department will discontinue 1
any Rural Free Delivery Route '
which is much appreciated by its 1
patrons. There has been some '
talk of the discontinuance of 1
routes which do not handle two
thousand pieces of mail per
month, but as yet no route has
been discontinued for that rea
son; but 1 do hope that the j
patrons will do all in their power c
to make the rural free delivery j
service a success. If I am not
mistaken in my figures, it costs
the Government about forty '
.cents for every letter which is 1
delivered by the Rural carriers. "
i 1 may be mistaken in these r
j figures, but I am sure that I
| have heard it stateu in ? he House "
that b custs about tuat much. '
I "The Rural Free Delivery ser
'vice is the aruuuest thing Con- !
giees bus done for the farmer in 1
recent years. 1 shall do my ut
most to pi event tin- discominu- '
iuce of any route iu my district 1
11 every family ak ng these routes '
voiuld take a wtekly newspaper
tut re would be lit tle danger of a (
; disciviiiuuahce of the route, for
thin would almost certainly put
the number of pieces of mail
handled up to two thousand
pieces per month. A semi-weekly
paper in each family would make
it certain that the route would
never be discontinued. 1 sup
pose a fjood semi-weekly news
puper cau be had for about #2 00
per year, and just think what ?
magnificent stimulus this would
be to universal education."
Death Near Kenly.
Mr. John 11. Barnes died sud
denly on Monday, April 2nd,
1906, in his eighty-tirst year.
He was well known in this coun
ty and always felt a deep inter
est in auything of interest to
Johnston. He was a citizen of
this County before Wilson coun
ty was formed and a part of
Johnston taken to help make it.
After the formation of Wilson
County part of his home tract of
land was in Johnston County.
. At the close of the civil war he
had nothing except his farm but
he was a good farmer and a fine
financier. He made money farm
ing and by lending money. His
estate is said to be worth thirty
five thousand dollars. He was a
man worthy to be followed as an
example. Mrs. J. IJ. Oliver, who
formerly lived inSmitbfleld, Mrs.
13. L. Aycock, Mrs. 1?. 11. Bagley
and Mrs. C. W. Knight were his
daughters.
Pou on Contributions by Corpora
tions.
Washington. I). C., April 7.?
Representative i'ou made a
strong speech in the House to
day in support of his bill to pre
vent contributions from corpora
tions in political campaigns.
Remarks of the Congressman
from the Fourth District devel
oped the fact that the several
bills introduced with reference to
such legislation are held up by
the chairman of the committee
on the election of President and
Vice-President, Gaines, of West
Virginia, who, according to Mr.
Rucker, of Missouri, a memberof
the committee, refuses to call a
meeting.
This remark brought forth a
suggestion from Minority Lead
sr Williams that the majority ol
a committee could displace a
chairman, but Mr. Rucker re
plied that while Democrats and
Republicans on the committee
favored such a measure, they
could not get a meeting. Repre
sentative Pou was also inter
rupted by Representative Sims,
of Pennsylvania and other mem
bers.
In preaching against the prac
tice of corrupting elections, he
was none the less severe in his
criticism of Democrats, who be
come parties to such transac
tions. He began with contribu
tions to national campaigns as
far back as the Hayes adminis
tration. The speaker laid special
emphasis on the campaign of
"96" that year of all years. He
mid: When the insurauce com
panies were trying to save the
aonor of the nation by stealing
the money that belonged to the
vidows and orphans, trying to
lave the country from the disas
ter of W. J. Bryan, by robbery
uid theft, that ought to put
them in stripes."?Thomas J.
'ence, in News and Observer.
BENSON NEWS.
Miss Mary Ilose and Mr. Joseph
lose spent a few days herp re
ently with their brother, Mr.
f. H. Rose.
Mr. and Mrs. Fred Boyal,
ormerly of Benson, but now of
Smporia, Ya., happened to the
ad mi-fortune recently to lose
heir little two-year old girl by
ii'cidental poisoning. On last
mturday morning while Mrs.
loyal was using some water of
uumonia for hou.-ehold purposes
he little one not kuowiug the
atal danger it was in, drank a
uuall amount of the powerful
lrug which resulted ia its death
mi Monday morning about three
j'clock. Its remains were brought
lere and interred in the t> ?n
?emetery on Tuesday evening
April 11th. So i.on.
? _L__ ? zl_J
Picture of Wreck on Coast Line near Neuse River, taken Tuesday Morning
Before any of the Wreckage was cleared away. The picture shows only
a part of the Wreck as it was impossible to get all in one picture. The
photograph was made by Mr. John F. Sanders.